SPANISH FORT — Miles of pipe are stacked along Highway 31 for one of four current projects to improve and upgrade the existing water system and infrastructure.

The projects include a new Causeway booster station, waterline upgrades along Highway 31, replacing and adjusting fire hydrants and a fixed-base advanced metering infrastructure system, according to city officials.

The pipe and construction work along Highway 31 is for the waterline upgrades, and the fire department jumped on the opportunity to replace and relocate those fire hydrants along the route.

“Some of the fire hydrants along 31 were randomly placed or in inconvenient locations for us,” Fire Chief Roger Few said. “This will help us better serve the citizens of Spanish Fort.”

From the Causeway booster station to Highway 181, an estimated 39 new fire hydrants will be installed, 75 hydrants replaced and 110 adjusted in height.

The project won’t help out too much on the fire insurance rating, said Few, but “more hydrants won’t hurt us.”

In addition to the new hydrants, a 16” water main and infrastructure is being constructed along Highway 31 from the booster station to just east of SR 181. These new water lines will double the capacity of the water supply through the system, according to information provided by Jason Evans, project manager of the Highway 31 upgrades.

A new water booster station will also be constructed about 400 feet east of the existing station. The new booster station will provide adequate water supply to increasing population and demand.

A new metering system is also being installed that will eliminate the need to manually read the service meter each month for usage. The readings will also be more accurate, Evans said. Mayor Mike McMillan, who was sworn in yesterday, said that while the water system is preparing some of these projects in anticipation of the Highway 31 road widening project, the project is happening now because of the loan the city received.

“The new water line will cover the city’s needs for the next 40 to 50 years,” McMillan said. “The highway widening project has been pushed back to 2016, if there is funding available. The fire department is taking advantage of the new water line installation by updating and relocating their hydrants to better serve the citizens of Spanish Fort.”

These projects are being funded through a loan from the USDA Rural Development Department. The Spanish Fort water system will repay the USDA loan over a period of 40 years. The total construction cost of the four projects is estimated to be about $4.8 million and is expected to be completed within the next year.